1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to candles, and more specifically to a method of forming a layered sheet of candle fuel for rolling into a spiral fuel body for a candle.
This invention further relates to a mold apparatus used to form a pliable sheet of candle fuel for rolling into a spiral candle fuel body that presents a pleasing design, including one that simulates a pastry product.
2. Description of the Related Art
A candle is typically made by pouring a liquefied candle fuel, such as molten wax into a mold and cooling the fuel, thereby forming a fuel body for the candle. A wick is inserted into the fuel body to make the fuel body function as a candle.
In one way of making a pillar candle, which is a cylindrical candle usually having a height greater than its width, the wick is placed upright in a cylindrical mold, and the fuel is poured into the mold. The fuel is poured to a level at which a majority of the wick is submerged in the molten fuel, and a top portion of the wick remains above a top surface of the molten fuel. When the molten fuel solidifies, the fuel body is formed with the wick imbedded therein. The top portion of the wick extends from the top surface of the fuel body for initially lighting the candle.
Other processes that are utilized for making candles include the compression of prilled wax pellets, and the extrusion of a candle fuel. The processes produce a fuel body in which a hole can be formed for inserting a wick, and the processes permit an artisan to employ techniques for making the fuel body have a particular size and shape.
Another method of candle making forms a candle fuel in deliberately indistinguishable layers around a wick. For example, serially dipping the wick in the candle fuel, which is typically molten wax, and allowing the wax to cool into a layer around the wick forms a dipped candle. Repeating this technique builds concentric layers around the wick. The dipped candle typically has a tapered top end, from which a top portion of the wick extends for lighting the candle, and a substantially planar bottom surface. Most commonly, all the layers are of the same color. When viewing the bottom surface, the concentric layers are usually indistinguishable, because the layers are of the same color and the outermost layer typically coats the bottom surface. However, for making the layers distinguishable there exists a technique in which the dipped candle is formed using a colored wax for each concentric layer. Some or all of the layers have different colors. Selected areas of the candle are carved away or cut into, usually in decorative patterns, to expose the multiple colors of the different layers.
Similarly, a molded pillar candle or a dipped candle having built up layers of a single color can be coated with a final layer of a different colored wax.
A less well-known method for making a candle is to roll a sheet of candle fuel from a slab, which has a length and width considerably greater than its thickness. A wick is placed near an edge of the slab, lying parallel to that edge, with an overhanging portion of the wick extending past an adjacent edge. Then, beginning with the edge near the wick, the slab is rolled around the wick, thereby forming a rolled fuel body. A majority of the wick becomes imbedded centrally in the rolled fuel body, with the overhanging portion of the wick extending beyond a top surface of the rolled fuel body. Viewing the top surface, the rolled fuel body appears layered, because it is in a spiral pattern around the centrally imbedded wick. However, the spiral pattern and layered appearance may not be clearly seen, for example, if the top surface is smoothed over to eliminate the visible interface within the spiraling layer, which may be done for aesthetic purposes.
For the methods described above that utilize a mold, and for other candle-making methods that utilize a mold for forming a fuel body, the mold has a predetermined shape for ultimately incorporating into a candle. Such shapes typically serve an aesthetic purpose, although shapes may be imposed to serve a functional role. For the pillar candle, the shape of the candle elicits the method of manufacturing the candle; the shape of the mold is retained through the method and is reflected in the shape of the candle. However, for the rolled candle and the dipped candle, the respective methods of manufacture may not be readily deduced by observing the shapes of those candles.
One such method utilizing a mold with a defined structure for imposing aesthetic shapes onto a fuel body is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,906 to Widmer. The method disclosed by Widmer is for making a novelty candle, which has flat surfaces for incorporating defined wax shapes. The wax shapes are arranged in a mold having an interior defined by flat sidewalls. Liquefied wax is poured into the mold, and at least one of the flat surfaces of the candle is contacted flush against the wax shapes. The liquefied wax cools and the shapes bond to the flat surface of the candle, which is then removed from the mold.
While many methods exist for producing candles having various shapes, there is a need for a method of making a layered sheet for rolling into a layered fuel body for a candle, which is thereby given an aesthetically pleasing and novel appearance. There is a need for a layered fuel body for a candle, in which the individual layers of candle fuel remain distinguishable throughout the life of the candle.
There is also a need for a mold apparatus that forms a sheet of candle fuel having structures that become incorporated into a rolled fuel body to provide functional advantages for a candle. There is a further need for a mold apparatus that forms a sheet of candle fuel having structures that become incorporated into a rolled fuel body for making an aesthetically pleasing and novel candle.